In 1847, a decade before making national news, he was the plaintiff in a Missouri case against Irene Emerson

The Final Jeopardy clue for Tuesday, May 27, 2025, fell under the category “American History.” The clue read: “In 1847, a decade before making national news, he was the plaintiff in a Missouri case against Irene Emerson.”

Who is Dred Scott?

This question refers to one of the most significant and controversial figures in pre-Civil War American legal history. Dred Scott was an enslaved man who sued for his freedom in the Missouri court system in 1847, initiating a legal battle that would span over a decade and ultimately reach the U.S. Supreme Court. His case against Irene Emerson, the widow of Dr. John Emerson who had previously claimed ownership of Scott, was an early attempt to establish his right to freedom based on having lived in free territories.

The Early Legal Battle in Missouri

Scott’s original case was filed in the St. Louis Circuit Court. His argument was based on long-standing precedent in Missouri law that an enslaved person who had resided in free territory or states could be considered legally free. Dred Scott had lived with Dr. Emerson in both Illinois and the Wisconsin Territory, both of which prohibited slavery. On these grounds, Scott and his lawyers believed he had a strong legal case for emancipation.

The case initially resulted in a favorable verdict, granting Scott his freedom. However, the decision was overturned on appeal. The case continued to wind through the court system over the years, with ownership of Scott transferring hands as legal arguments evolved. It was during this prolonged litigation that the case gained national attention and eventually became Dred Scott v. Sandford, decided by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1857.

The Supreme Court’s Infamous Decision

The final ruling by the Supreme Court in 1857 is widely regarded as one of the most disastrous in American legal history. The court, led by Chief Justice Roger B. Taney, concluded that African Americans—whether free or enslaved—could not be considered citizens of the United States and thus had no right to sue in federal court. Furthermore, the decision declared that Congress had no authority to prohibit slavery in U.S. territories, effectively nullifying the Missouri Compromise.

This sweeping decision intensified sectional tensions in the United States and was a contributing factor to the outbreak of the Civil War. It galvanized abolitionists and deeply divided political parties. The ruling was not only legally significant but also socially and politically incendiary, with reverberations that reached far beyond the courtroom.

Historical Legacy of Dred Scott

Dred Scott’s personal pursuit of freedom became a national symbol of the legal and moral conflicts surrounding slavery. Although the Supreme Court denied him justice, his case helped accelerate the country toward the Civil War. In an ironic twist, Scott was emancipated by the Blow family, his original owners, shortly after the Supreme Court’s decision.

Scott died in 1858, a year after the ruling, but his name remains closely tied to the debate over civil rights, federal authority, and the legacy of slavery. The Dred Scott v. Sandford decision has since been overturned by the Fourteenth Amendment, which granted citizenship to all persons born or naturalized in the United States, including former slaves.

Why This Final Jeopardy Clue Matters

The clue highlighting the 1847 Missouri case provides insight into how history often builds quietly before erupting onto the national stage. Recognizing Scott’s legal struggle long before the Supreme Court’s involvement underscores the slow, complex development of landmark moments in American history. It also reminds audiences of the many lesser-known legal fights that paved the way for larger constitutional questions.

By referencing this early chapter in Dred Scott’s legal saga, the clue gives a fuller picture of the man behind one of the most debated court rulings in U.S. history. His quest for freedom was not a single event but a prolonged and courageous challenge to an unjust system—one that would ultimately shape the course of the nation.